Improvement in accouchement-couches



.IINI'IEZD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZA LAVINIA MOORE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ACCOUCHEMEN T-COUCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,663, dated March 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZA LAVINIA MOORE, of San Francisco city and county, State of California,have invented an Accouc'hement-Couch; and I do hereby declare the following'description and accompanying drawing are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention without further invention or experiment.

- My invention relates to a couch or bed which is suitably constructed and provided with the necessary appliances to render it extremely convenient and useful in accouchement cases.

In order to explain my'invention so that others will be able to understand its construction and operation, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my couch in readiness for use. Fig. 2 is a view of the couch arranged as a bed.

A represents a platform upon which the accouchement-couch is constructed. This platform can be mounted upon rollers or casters, if desired, in order to render it easily movable from place to place, as may be convenient.

Upon this platform I secure a strong table, B,

which forms the middle portion of the couch, and to one side of this table I hinge an extension, C, the opposite extremity of which is supported by hinged legs 01 d, which can be turned up against the under side of the extension when desired. A circular rack, E, is hinged to the under side of the'extension C upon each side of the couch, and passes through a staple, f, on the side of the table or central portion B, so that the extension C can be raised to any desired angle and be supported by the rack. A stationary foot or end board G is secured vertically upon the platform A a short distance from the table B on the side opposite thei extension 0. A leaf, h, is hinged to the upper end of this end board so that when it is raised to a horizontal position its opposite edge will steadies the frame.

ward at a proper angle to form a support for the leaf h when it is let down, and thus convert the leaf into afoot rest or brace, as will be hereinafter described. In the center of the top of the table or middle portion B of the couch is a hole, K, which will be covered by a lid, 1, when not in use. A compartment below this seat serves to contain a vessel, which will be supported below the hole K in the manner of an ordinary portable closet. The tops of the middle portion B, extension C, and leaf h, and also of the lid 1, are cushioned and covered with oiled silk or other non-absorbing mate rial, so that it can be easily cleansed when nocessary and a similarly-stulfed cushion, H, is secured upon the cushion" of the extension C so as to provide a support for the small of the back, thus supplying the place of a physicians hand for this purpose, while another cushion, H, is secured upon the leaf It so as to serve as a foot-rest. Secured to the floor of the platform A, upon each side of the middle portion B of the couch, is a socket, m, in which the foot of an upright post or timber, n, is placed and confined by a pin, as, so that the posts can be leaned as desired. These posts pass upward on each side of the middle portion B, and extend to the desired height above the couch, where their upper ends areunitecl by a crossbeam, 0, thus forming a frame-work over the couch. A brace, 19, on each side of the couch The feet of these braces are supported in sockets m similar to the sockets m, and their upper ends are secured tothe uprights n by pins 1". A number of pin-holes are made both in the uprights and braces, so that the frame can be adjusted 'and braced at any desired angle. A guard-plate, S, is secured upon each side of the couch inthe manner of a long staple, between which and the couch the uprights pass, so that theyform an extra strengthening device and preventthe uprights from becoming displaced. A sling, t, depends from the cross-timbero of the frame, which can be lowered or raised, according to the convenience of the patient. This sling will be made of strong material andstuffed so that it will provide an easy yielding support. A staple or ring, a, is secured to the platformat each side of the end board G, to-which a strong strap, V, is secured, which can be lengthened or shortened to suit the convenience of the patient. A hand-rin g, W, is attached to the opposite end of this strap;

During the accouchement the leaf It will be lowered so as to rest upon the angular braces j j. The patient will be placed in a sittingposture upon the edge of the middle portion B of the couch, with her feet resting upon the cushion H. The head, shoulders, and arms will then be passed through the sling, so that the sling will support the upper portion of the body. The hand-rings W are then taken in the hands of the patient, so that by pulling upon the strap V she may brace herself. After the accouchement the leaf his raised to its horizontal position, the extensionO is lowered, and the cushions H and H are removed, thus forming a couch upon which the patient can remain until she has been bandaged and properly prepared to be removed to her bed.

By this means I provide a couch for this class of patients having all of the conveniences and appliances necessary to facilitate accouchement cases, and in many instances not only lessen the pain of child-birth and shorten the period of travail, but also save the lives of many patients which would be endangered without these conveniences.

Having thus described my invention, what f, in combination with the end board G, with its angular braces j j and hinged leaf h, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

2. The frame, consisting of the upright timbers n and cross-timber 0 with its sling t, in combination with the couch B O h, substantially as and for the purpose above described. 3. The adjustable frame, consisting of the upright timbers n and cross-timber 0 secured in sockets m by pins w, in combination with the braces p provided with pin-holes so as to permit of the frame being braced at the desired angle for the purpose described, all combined with the couch B O vh, as and for the purpose set forth.

p In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

ELIZA LAVINIA MOORE. [L s.]

Witnesses:

JOHN L. BOONE, (J. M. RICHARDSON. 

